Evans ahead of Weidman to become next MW contender

I'm shocked. I feel like for once I'm not the only one saying Weidman should have to fight someone else. Now I can also understand the Weidman argument from the standpoint of "Who else should get the fight?" Other than that though I think Rashad's competition should absolutely put him in front of a guy who has one solid win in the UFC. The weight class argument is valid but Silva and Evans walk around at nearly the same weight. Anderson just cuts more. I'll grant you that Rashad has more muscle on his frame than Silva but their natural weights are very close. I've read that Rashad gets up to around 230 and Anderson around 220-225.

I can't see how this situation is even remotely similar to the situation at WW. Hendricks has run through incredibly tough competition and his fight with Kos despite being close was not a boring fight at all. Weidman has ONE good win. Literally ONE. He cut weight on short notice to fight Maia I know but that doesn't change the fact that the fight was horrendous and that he has ONE solid, impressive win. Hendricks has beaten 3 of the top 5 guys in the division in his last 3 fights. There is no comparison there at all IMO.

All that said Weidman could very well be the guy to get by silva, maybe even the guy who could put him on his ass and beat him up, but I would much rather see Rashad fight Anderson. Rashad deserves that level of competition to a much greater extent than Weidman does. The guy has two loses and he's fought a who's who of competition including the other guy who's considered the best fighter in the world by most. I like the fight if they can make it happen and if Rashad can cut the weight.

Now that I've gone on this rant watch Rashad get pummeled by little nog tomorrow and make me eat my words.

postman

2/1/13 12:22:36PM

Posted by airkerma

Posted by jjeans

Posted by decken

Just remember it is not about who deserves a title shot it is about who will make the most money for the UFC. Weidman does not have the name recognition yet

This. Why put Weidman/Silva together when Evans/Silva would sell tonnes. With Sonnen and Diaz getting title fights why are people getting butthurt when 2 of the biggest pvp draws are fighting. This is just another fight where it's not a matter of "deserving" it's a matter of "marketing"

1. Because one is a mw, the other is not.2. Because $$$$ does not equate to integrity3. PPV draw matters to the UFC and those fighters who will get a cut, not the legitimacy of the sport 4. If all we are concerned with is marketing, then we can just assume under Dana's little regime here, we should have virtually no qualms with following the exact same path that boxing did. 5. If the goal is to make this "super" fight, why not just at a catchweight instead?

This whole Weidman name recognition crap is getting incredibly trite and old. How does that argument even hold weight when Ronda is headlining a card against a virtual unknown, despite neither having a fight in the UFC yet? Where's the name recognition there?

As much as I want this fight to happen, I want the process to at least not look like a total joke.

Chael, a MW, fighting for the LHW belt with no LHW fights. Rashad, a LHW, fighting for the MW belt with no MW fights. Seems legit.

Why not just merge the divisions if the 20 pound difference is so irrelevant?

I would really love to see a minimum 2 fights after a weight class change before a fighter is allowed a title shot. Otherwise, you screw over guys who have been working at it for years, and you undermine the sport.

Goatenstein

2/1/13 1:41:01PM

Seems like MMA fans are becoming what they used to hate more than anything, pro wrestling fans. Dana's making boxing promoters look good now.

Travesty145

2/1/13 2:37:19PM

rashad vs weidman would be a really good fight. js

postman

2/1/13 2:55:06PM

Posted by Travesty145

rashad vs weidman would be a really good fight. js

True

airkerma

2/1/13 2:58:28PM

Posted by postman

Posted by airkerma

Posted by jjeans

Posted by decken

Just remember it is not about who deserves a title shot it is about who will make the most money for the UFC. Weidman does not have the name recognition yet

This. Why put Weidman/Silva together when Evans/Silva would sell tonnes. With Sonnen and Diaz getting title fights why are people getting butthurt when 2 of the biggest pvp draws are fighting. This is just another fight where it's not a matter of "deserving" it's a matter of "marketing"

1. Because one is a mw, the other is not.2. Because $$$$ does not equate to integrity3. PPV draw matters to the UFC and those fighters who will get a cut, not the legitimacy of the sport 4. If all we are concerned with is marketing, then we can just assume under Dana's little regime here, we should have virtually no qualms with following the exact same path that boxing did. 5. If the goal is to make this "super" fight, why not just at a catchweight instead?

This whole Weidman name recognition crap is getting incredibly trite and old. How does that argument even hold weight when Ronda is headlining a card against a virtual unknown, despite neither having a fight in the UFC yet? Where's the name recognition there?

As much as I want this fight to happen, I want the process to at least not look like a total joke.

Sonnen vacated MW, Bisping just lost, and a fight with Belfort wouldn't be a bad idea, but the fact remains that should a MW title fight occur, it should be against the top MW contender, regardless of Evan's wins at LHW. Weidman is currently the best option, but Vitor would be a fine contender as well. Evans should show that he can at least beat a MW at MW before he gets a title shot.

bootyclause

2/2/13 8:02:01AM

Rashad is p4p better on paper than anyone in the whole MW division besides Anderson. Frankie is also p4p better than any FW contender (by a lot too). So I think those are fair choices for title fights.

There's no rule that says you have to win in a certain weight class to be eligible to fight for that title. Also, Rashad vs Anderson could do around 6-700K PPVs instead of the 350k that Weidman-Silva would do.

It's fair in my opinion.

The real complaint should be Chael fighting Jones seeing as Chael is not as good as most top 10 LHWs.

SpiderSilva

2/2/13 9:43:59AM

Silva should be fighting Cung le.

SpiderSilva

2/2/13 9:44:59AM

Posted by SpiderSilva

Silva should be fighting Cung le.

Makes more sense than Rashad or Wellman

postman

2/2/13 12:38:27PM

Posted by airkerma

Posted by postman

Posted by airkerma

Posted by jjeans

Posted by decken

Just remember it is not about who deserves a title shot it is about who will make the most money for the UFC. Weidman does not have the name recognition yet

This. Why put Weidman/Silva together when Evans/Silva would sell tonnes. With Sonnen and Diaz getting title fights why are people getting butthurt when 2 of the biggest pvp draws are fighting. This is just another fight where it's not a matter of "deserving" it's a matter of "marketing"

1. Because one is a mw, the other is not.2. Because $$$$ does not equate to integrity3. PPV draw matters to the UFC and those fighters who will get a cut, not the legitimacy of the sport 4. If all we are concerned with is marketing, then we can just assume under Dana's little regime here, we should have virtually no qualms with following the exact same path that boxing did. 5. If the goal is to make this "super" fight, why not just at a catchweight instead?

This whole Weidman name recognition crap is getting incredibly trite and old. How does that argument even hold weight when Ronda is headlining a card against a virtual unknown, despite neither having a fight in the UFC yet? Where's the name recognition there?

As much as I want this fight to happen, I want the process to at least not look like a total joke.

Sonnen vacated MW, Bisping just lost, and a fight with Belfort wouldn't be a bad idea, but the fact remains that should a MW title fight occur, it should be against the top MW contender, regardless of Evan's wins at LHW. Weidman is currently the best option, but Vitor would be a fine contender as well. Evans should show that he can at least beat a MW at MW before he gets a title shot.

What would make any of us think that he wouldn't be able to beat a middle weight? Hes a small LHW and has done very well. I'm kinda playing the devils advocate role here as I understand everyone wanting him to fight at 85 first I get it. I just don't see the need and I don't think Weidman has done enough at 85 to warrent a title shot. I understand that the way it is at the moment he is the 85er who has done the most with out a loss in his last fight or not named Vitor. But he hasn't earned a shot by any means.

airkerma

2/2/13 2:40:24PM

Posted by postman

Posted by airkerma

Posted by postman

Posted by airkerma

Posted by jjeans

Posted by decken

Just remember it is not about who deserves a title shot it is about who will make the most money for the UFC. Weidman does not have the name recognition yet

This. Why put Weidman/Silva together when Evans/Silva would sell tonnes. With Sonnen and Diaz getting title fights why are people getting butthurt when 2 of the biggest pvp draws are fighting. This is just another fight where it's not a matter of "deserving" it's a matter of "marketing"

1. Because one is a mw, the other is not.2. Because $$$$ does not equate to integrity3. PPV draw matters to the UFC and those fighters who will get a cut, not the legitimacy of the sport 4. If all we are concerned with is marketing, then we can just assume under Dana's little regime here, we should have virtually no qualms with following the exact same path that boxing did. 5. If the goal is to make this "super" fight, why not just at a catchweight instead?

This whole Weidman name recognition crap is getting incredibly trite and old. How does that argument even hold weight when Ronda is headlining a card against a virtual unknown, despite neither having a fight in the UFC yet? Where's the name recognition there?

As much as I want this fight to happen, I want the process to at least not look like a total joke.

Sonnen vacated MW, Bisping just lost, and a fight with Belfort wouldn't be a bad idea, but the fact remains that should a MW title fight occur, it should be against the top MW contender, regardless of Evan's wins at LHW. Weidman is currently the best option, but Vitor would be a fine contender as well. Evans should show that he can at least beat a MW at MW before he gets a title shot.

What would make any of us think that he wouldn't be able to beat a middle weight? Hes a small LHW and has done very well. I'm kinda playing the devils advocate role here as I understand everyone wanting him to fight at 85 first I get it. I just don't see the need and I don't think Weidman has done enough at 85 to warrent a title shot. I understand that the way it is at the moment he is the 85er who has done the most with out a loss in his last fight or not named Vitor. But he hasn't earned a shot by any means.

then we will agree to disagree, as I think weidman has done worlds more to earn the shot than rashad. I'm tired of dana throwing ideas at a wall and seeing which one sticks the best, instead of following a process that would add legitamacy as opposed to favoritism and a blatant cash grab.

Boo_Radley21

2/2/13 3:37:05PM

I like this fight way more than Weidman. Rashad has a real good chance of taking this fight, I'm excited for it.

Goatenstein

2/8/13 10:42:27AM

Posted by Boo_Radley21

I like this fight way more than Weidman. Rashad has a real good chance of taking this fight, I'm excited for it.